New goals, who dis?

So I gave my notice today. In case you’re wondering, I work for a popular grocery chain. The company is good. The store is a cesspit. The customers range from amazing to disgusting pieces of sexist slime not good enough to wipe off the bottom of a shoe. My boss is a snake. The holidays were hell. And come to find out, I’m really just fucking done.

I don’t have another job lined up. I came to the decision after several very painful months that if I continue in retail, it will destroy my mental health. My schooling for Court Reporting won’t start paying off for about another year, and financial aid isn’t going to cover me putting gas in my car or food in my mouth. I’m not 100% sure what I’m going to do here, but I am confident that whatever I do, it’ll be better for me than what I’m leaving. I thought that maybe for others also suffering through retail, it might help to tag along for the ride.

Here’s some background:
I don’t pay rent.
I don’t have a lot of money in the bank (two months of bills after I get my tax return).
I have a car payment and the requisite auto insurance.
I’m paying my health insurance out of pocket, and I do have long-term medications and necessary doctor visits.
I’m going to school full time, with a BOG fee waiver.
I have cats (eyy, prescription cat food). Pet-related expenses are split, but still expensive.

Here are my current marketable skills:
I house sit and pet sit.
I art.
I type like a fiend.
I have a good grasp of English.
I brain good.
I write.

Here’s the plan:
My last day is 1/21. Goodbye regular paycheck.
Those taxes, though.
House sit gig, April.
TranscribeMe transcription services (note: their QA people do not have as good a grasp of things as one might wish).
Blog. Instagram. Share. Give miserable people hope and document for myself.